Before I Die

June 05, 2005

The original list of 100 still has 28 items left. I've crossed none off since my first post discussing them. I've already mentioned 25; here are the other three:

Walk Through a Battlefield - Not, of course, while the battle rages. After. Long after. My first choice would be Gettysburg, although Normandy would be worth seeing, too. I have one friend who suggests that visiting the U.S.S. Arizona memorial should have satisfied this one, but it's not really what I had in mind.

Set Foot in my 50th State - I still need to set foot in Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming. This fall, if I visit Notre Dame for the USC game, I might cross four of these off the list. Next summer, a drive to Yellowstone and parts along the way could pull another 3 or 4 off the list.

Hit a Home Run - That I haven't done this one is somewhat embarrassing. But I only played three seasons of little league and in those years, there was no fence, and I was a light hitter. Over the course of about 45 games, I only smacked one that would have gone over the fences that they built later. On that hit, the leftfielder chased it down and threw me out at third. Maybe someday I'll get sent to a mental institution where I can play softball at recess and check this off the list.

November 09, 2004

1. Attend the opening performance of a major theatrical show. (preferably on Broadway)2. Bike to Ensenada (the older I get, the farther south the starting point will be.)3. Get my picture in the newspaper (my oldest daughter did this one when she was two.)4. Watch the changing of the guards in London (making them laugh would be a bonus)5. Record a song (ideally, one that is played on the radio or in a club.)6. Ride in a hot air balloon (this one I'm rethinking).7. Ride a Harley-Davidson motorcycle (my mom says I can't no matter how old I am.)8. Run for political office (dictator would be good, but I'd settle for water district commissioner.)9. Scuba dive (I will do this one within the next year or two.)10. Save someone's life (hopefully, someone worth saving.)

July 20, 2004

Here are five more of the remaining 28 things from my original list of things to do before I die:

Bowl a 200 Game--I bowl rarely. I bowl a 150 or better maybe once every time I bowl. This will probably be one of the last things I will check off.

Attend a President's Inauguration--Preferably, this would involve the inauguration of a friend, but so far, the closest candidates are: a state assemblyman; a mayor and a county supervisor. None of them are strong candidates for the White House.

Catch a Foul Ball at a Major League Ball Game--If batting practice balls counted, this would have been checked off long ago.

Act in a Movie--Back in the day, when I was auditioning and getting parts in school plays, I thought this was a sure thing. And I thought the role would be a good one. Now, my best bet is to catch a gig as an extra at www.beinamovie.com.

Attend an Opera--I've meant to do this for a long time. But only once.

Drive Coast To Coast-- My friend Rob did this in a little under 48 hours once, but I'm thinking more along the line of enjoying a lengthy trip. This means I can't do it until I have the freedom to take at least three weeks off.

Attend a Final Four-- If USC had beaten Duke in the 2001 tournament, I would have crossed this one off the list.

Finish a Triathlon-- This one made the list back when triathlons were obscure events. A family friend used to win the Hawaiian Ironman every so often, so we watched them. There is an annual Ironman that passes literally right in front of the beach house. Once a year, it motivates me to want to get back in shape so I can do this thing.

Get a Standing Ovation-- I once performed a standup routine that got enough laughs and applause that I had to stop the routine and wait for the noise to subside. Close. Very close. But nobody stood up. So this one is still on the list.